Closure
by thelovelymystery
Summary: Tessa cannot stand to see those who she loves in pain. Thankfully, she known a perfect way to help them in their time of need. CLOCKWORK PRINCESS SPOILERS. Post epilogue fic! True summary on the inside, as well!


**CLOCKWORK PRINCESS SPOILERS. SPOILER ALERT.**

True Summary: Tessa realizes that there's been something haunting Jem's conscience for a century. Thankfully, she knows exactly how he can get the closure he needs to move on.

Author Notes: Again, I have absolutely no idea where I got the idea for this from, but I hope you enjoy it!

Also, I GOT TO MEET CASSANDRA CLARE TODAY! After her book signing, I got to go 'backstage' and talk to her for a bit. It was such an amazing experience, that I would not trade for anything :) *just a random little note*

_**Plus**__, if I were to write a couple TID/TMI crossover fics, who would be interested in reading it? I have an idea for a short, oneshot, one and for a full-length story one. Feedback on this idea would be greatly apprciated! :D_

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Despite the fact they had only been reunited for several hours, Tessa could feel their relationship quickly shifting from being 'platonic' as it had been for a hundred and thirty years and back to 'romantic', where she hoped it would stay for a very long time.

The couple were enjoying a nice dinner at one of Tessa's favourite restaurants. Anyone passing by would assume they were cute, young couple on a simple date instead of two people who were born over a century ago, trying desperately to catch up for loss time. However, if that person passing by overheard their conversation, they would truly know something was amiss.

"Are you really trying to tell me that, that little thing can hold millions of photos, songs, and you can search up anything on that thing you called the 'internet'? And you can contact people from across the world with it? How is that even possible?" Jem inquired, aghast. His wide eyes were trained on the iPhone she held in her hand.

Laughing, Tessa said, "Yes, that is _exactly_ what I am trying to tell you and that is only some of it's most basic features." She shook her head. "You have so much to learn. A century's worth of things!" Her mind flashed forward through all the things he would have to learn and therefore, all she would have to teach him.

Jem's eyes lit up in wonder, as he began imagine all the things that would of been made possible since the nineteenth century. Of course, he knew some things, like how cars were no longer commonly pulled by horses but worked with their own engines, but other thing's he had no idea about, like the so-called 'internet'. Not for the first time, he found himself wishing that the Silent Brother's hadn't lived such a sheltered life. He felt foolish for being so arrogant of so many things the new-age held. "What else have I missed while I was in the Silent City?"

"Much more than I can explain over a simple dinner, I'm afraid. It's a good thing I'll have a lot of time to catch you up while we're travelling" she said, with a smile which he quickly returned. "In short though, you have missed the growth and evolution of technology, civilization, and… fashion." The last word was accompanied by a shudder. She hated to think of some of the outfits she had worn in the past, simply because they had been what was 'in' at the time.

At that, Jem let out a hearty chuckle, his grin widening. Unfortunately, it did not last for long before his smile faltered and his laughter trailed off. "I have missed so much." Just the way he spoke, Tessa had a sinking feeling that they were no longer talking about materialistic things and instead about something that went a lot deeper.

She laid a comforting hand upon his. She was about to speak words of solace, but he beat her to the catch. "I missed their whole lives. I never even got to say good-bye to most of them. I never got to say good-bye to the people I considered my family." His voice suddenly sounded so broken and detached. Tessa could feel her stomach drop at his words; she knew exactly what he was talking about, all of a sudden.

He was thinking about how he had never gotten to say his final farewells to Charlotte or Jessamine, Gabriel or Gideon, Sophie or Cecily - to everyone who had lived in the Institute while he had, with the exception of Henry and Will. After word had gotten to the Silent Brother's about him playing his violin during the latter's final moments, he was banned by the Silent Brothers from attending another's final ceremony.

Tessa could see in his dark eyes how it had affected him and how even to that day, never being for there for them in the end had plagued his deepest regrets. She could see that he felt guilty beyond words for not being there, even though all of them had understood. They had all known that if he could of been there, he would of been and that was enough comfort for each and everyone one of them on their final day.

"All of them understood why you could not have of been there and not a single one of them ever blamed you. Plus, you were there with them in memory, if not in their hearts. It was good enough for them and it should be good enough for you too." She paused for a moment to catch her breath. "None of them would of wanted you to sit here and grieve for them, when you could be living the life you have never gotten the chance to live. Not even Gabriel."

Jem gave her a half-hearted nod, showing that her words had helped, but they had not taken his pain completely away. After sitting there for a moment in silence, an idea popped into her head. She may not of been able to give him the chance to say good-bye to all of them, but there was one person she could.

She glanced at their empty dinner plates and suddenly waved their waiter over with haste, much to Jem's uttermost confusion. The moment the bill had been paid for, Tessa grabbed Jem's hand and pulled him out of the chair and out of the restaurant. On the street, she hailed a cab and ushered him in. Without any hesitation at all, she gave the driver the address of the place they had once both considered home.

The London Institute.

During the car ride there, Jem alternated between asking why they were going to the place that held so many memories for the both of them and asking how exactly a motorized car-worked. Having wanted to surprise him with the answer to the first and not truly knowing the answer to the second, Tessa remained silent until she finally said "didn't you know curiosity killed the cat? You'll just have to wait and see."

His mood lightened slightly at her comment. "I saw Church quite recently you should know and he is very much alive. Are you aware that he is currently living at the New York Institute?"

Tessa laughed at that. "I am. I went and say him a couple of times while I was living in New York with Magnus during the Second World War. That cat was still as bitter as I had remembered him. I reckon he still believes to this day that he is inferior to us all."

"He is a cat, how could he not? All cats - " Tessa did not get to learn what all cats had in common for it was at that precise moment they arrived at the Institute. The driver, who could not see the Institute's true beauty due to the heavy anti-mundane glamouring, warily asked Tessa if it was the right place. She had simply grinned and told him that it was, before handing him the fare and jumping out of the taxi. After a moment, Jem came to join her at the front of the Institute's driveway. "I never thought I would see this place again," he said at last, in a shaky voice.

Grabbing Jem's hand to both comfort him and herself, she whispered "neither did I, but there is a good reason we're here. And do not worry. I will not force you to go inside. We only need to go as far as the steps." As she spoke, she began pulling him along. She could tell that he was confused at was significance of the front stairs were, but Tessa could not find the words to describe what was about to happen, to him.

When at last, they reached the stairs, Tessa looked around, searching for the person her's eyes desired. When she could not find the girl, she let out a sigh and called the her name, loud and clear. "Jessamine! Can you come out for a second, please?"

The boy standing next to her turned to her with a bewildered expression plastered upon his youthful face. "Tessa, Jessie has been dead for a hundred and thirty years. She's not going to just appear from thin air." His voice was even, but it held a lot doubt and even the tinniest sliver of anticipation.

"And who exactly do you think are you to say what I can and cannot do?" A familiar voice chimed from behind the couple. Instantaneously, they turned on the spot newcomer. Tessa, who had lived in the institute until 1937 was prepared to see the familiar apparition of Jessamine, a girl she had grown to consider a friend, but Jem, on the other hand, was not. His eyes got wide and her let out a gasp.

Jessamine Lovelace-Gray's reaction was much the same to Jem's. Her brown eyes widened to the size of saucers and one of her transparent hands flew up to cover her mouth. "J-Jem?" She stammered with uncertainty. "Is that really you?"

"Jessie? Why are you still here? Why have you not moved on?"

It took a moment for her to recover from her shock. When she finally did, her opened mouth turned to form a wary smile. "It's my duty to protect the Institute and all of it's inhabitants as I should of when I was alive. Please, do not pity me. I have grown to like it here. I am able to enter the Institute and even go to my old room. Did you know they always kept it the same? Even Baby Jessie is still there. But enough about me. Why - no _how - _are you here, Jem? Were you not made a Silent Brother so you could live?" For the first time since she had noticed Jem, she looked at Tessa. "I am also curious to see that you two are together. Are you courting again, now that you are back?"

Jem swallowed hard before answering. "A cure was found and my system was rid of the drug, so the Silent Brother's granted me with my mortality. As for your question about Tessa and I…" His voice trailed off.

"The answer to that question, is yes," Tessa quickly said, sending an almost sly grin Jem's wave. He gave a sheepish smile in return before turning his attention back to Jessamine. Before he could begin talking again, Tessa intervened. "I will leave you two alone for a bit, so you can talk. It was nice to see you again, Jessie. I have truly missed not talking to you over these past couple of years," she said to her sister-in-law before turning back to Jem. "I will be at the stables. Come find me when you are done." With that, she turned and walked away from the only two Shadowhunters she had first met upon coming to London for the first, who still roamed the living world.

_xJ+Tx_

She was brushing the mane of one of the Institute's horses when she heard Jem approaching from behind her. She immediately stopped what she was doing and turned to face him. She was grateful beyond words to see that there was a smile of content on his face. He walked straight forward and came to kiss her gently on the lips.

"Thank-you," was all he said.

It was more than enough for her. She could tell simply by the look on his face that he had gotten the closure he needed.


End file.
